Windsor refutes Cosworth 'scandal' talkPeter Windsor, the team principal of the new USF1 outfit, has played down talk of a 'scandal' regarding Cosworth’s involvement in the selection process for the 2010 F1 season – insisting that he finds the situation 'very odd'.

A number of potential entrants voiced concern over the fact that those teams seeking a place on the grid for next season were told they would have to go with Cosworth engines, with USF1, Campos, Manor and Lotus all agreeing to use the engine.

Others however voiced concern over the fact they were being told to use the Cosworth motor, with Prodrive amongst those to have said they didn’t feel it was right to have been told what engines they should use if they wanted to secure a slot on the grid.

However, in an interview with 422race.com, Windsor said he didn’t understand what all the fuss was about and said that the engine deal had simply been one of a ‘number of criteria’ team’s were expected to fulfill.

"I wouldn't call it a scandal at all, I found it all very odd,” he said. “It was very clear that to enter Formula One you need to have a valid engine contract as a part of that entry - it was just one of the many criteria you had to fulfill. We had a valid engine contract and we were lucky enough to pass the test, and we got in. I can't imagine what everybody is complaining about.

“The last time this happened, David Richards [Prodrive] got the place: nobody else complained, they went away and went on with their things. One thing I would say is that every potential Formula One team that suddenly came together in 2009 and put in the bid had no chance of success. A Formula One team is not something that happens overnight, it needs a lot of training, a lot of work, a lot of commitment. As I said, we've been working on this project for five years, and I think Adrian Campos has done his work as well.

“I can't understand really what all the fuss is about, because a new team happening in three weeks is never going to work anyway in my view."

Windsor added that his team is happy with the way preparations are going ahead of the new season and again said the team was still on track to give its car an on-track debut early next year.

"We are about the same as any other F1 team,” he said. “We finished most of the design of the car and started the manufacturing. It will be ready for testing when everybody else will be testing, at the beginning of the 2010 season. Obviously, as we started the preparation from zero, we have a lot of other elements that we need to put together as well and all the politics in Formula One this year haven't make life easy for new teams to come in. It's been a difficult economy this year as well, but we're in, we're racing and that's the good thing." Yahoo! Sports

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